Counter resetting means



April 18, 1961 W W HOFFMANN 2,980,329

COUNTER RESETTING MEANS A'f-roRNE-Y April 18, 1961 W W, HOFFMANN 2,980,329

COUNTER RESETTING MEANS Filed Sept. 28. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 vf@ 2%. hl, ."m.. f

INVENTOR.

F( ca. 3 I F`\ e.. 4 WALTER W.Ho\=FMANn dfi/v1 LU. ma@

A'rToRNeY r.United States Patent() COUNTER RESETTING MEANS Walter W. Hoffmann, Waukesha County, Wis., assiguor to Durant Manufacturing Co., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed sept. 2s, 1956, ser. No. 612,718

4 claims. (ci. 23S- 139) This invention relates to improvements in electric counters of the type in `which the transfer pinions are disengaged from the number wheel gears during the resetting operation and which can be reset by either manua or electrical means. Y

There has been a problem in the design of counters of this type keep the transfer pinions positively in mesh with the wheel gears during the counter operation without unnecessary friction and without disengagement at high speeds. In the past, such engagement has been accomplished by spring means connected to the transfer pinion shaft to bias it toward the number wheel gears. This arrangement has proved unsatisfactory because of excessive wear caused by the spring pressure, undue vibration of the transfer pinion shaft at high speeds and consequent intermittent disengagement resulting in in- `accurate counting. The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an electric counter of this type which does not have such disadvantages.

Another object is to provide a counter of this type which is of compact construction with all, operating elements enclosed. y

' Another object is to provide a counter of this type in which the resetting means is easily actuated and selfreturning. p

These objects are attained by adding to the customary disengaging cams for moving the transfer pinion` shaft to reset position, locking cams or detents which move such shaft into and lock it in driving position without any resilient ,force effecting further or continued movement of such shaft toward the number wheel gears. Consequently, frictional wear between transfer pinions and number wheel gears is reduced. A positive driving engagement preventing disengagement at all speeds is also obtained since no spring energy has to be overcome in moving the shaft out of driving position it will'be easier to move the customary disengaging cams toward reset position by either manual or electrical means.

The transfer pinions are properly positioned for engagement with the number wheel gears when the transfer pinion shaft is in reset position, and held in such posi tion on its return to driving position by locating leaf springs which engage cut-out portions of alternate transfer pinion teeth. While these locating leaf springs are not operative in the driving position of the transfer pinion shaft, they may be used to move it into initial contact with the locking cams or detents.

The disengaging and locking cams (together with the Areset fingers) are formed on the outer ends of the arms of a yoke pivoted within the counter frame and housing.

A manual reset button integral with one arm extends Y outwardly of the housing and the yoke is manually swung Patented Aprv- 18, 1961 ice actuator. Thus, all operating elements are enclosed and compactly arranged.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent from the specification and claims, as will obvious modifications of the embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a counter embodying the invention; n

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the counter with the side walls removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the transfer pinions engaged and locked;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along line 4--4 of Fig. 2 showing the actuating mechanism; t l

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the parts in the reset position; and v Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end elevation view showing how the transfer pinion shaft is mounted in the casing.

Referring to the drawings, the counter mechanism in-- cluding electrically operated actuating mechanism, number wheels and transfer pinions all of well-known con struction is mounted in a casing 10 with top 11 having a viewing opening 12. Number wheels 13 are rotatably mounted on a number wheel shaft 14 fixedly mounted in openings 15 in opposite walls of the casing. The first number wheel on the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, is driven by a ratchet wheel 16, operated by a drive-arm assembly 17 of standard design pivotally mounted on a shaft 18 and biased by -a return spring 19. The drivearm assembly is actuated by a solenoid 20 which may be attached to a sensing unit (not shown) which is designed, for example, to count articles moving along a conveyor.

The rotary movement of the ratchet wheel 16 is transmitted to such first number wheel by a driving gear 21 attached to the ratchet wheel and connected to a wheel gear '22 on such first number wheel by a whole tooth pinion 22a mounted on a shaft 25. Such rst number wheel and each succeeding number wheel drives the num-y ber wheel next tothe right by customary fractured tooth transfer pinions 23 also rotatably mounted on theshaft Z5 and engaged with ythe wheel gears 22 on such number wheels. Pins (not shown) on each of the number wheels contact the fractured tooth pinions once in each revolu-v tion to cause each succeeding number wheel to move one number for each ten numbers of the preceding number wheel. An overthrow spring 24 overlies the whole tooth pinion 22a' and bears against it to prevent momentum from carrying the iirst number wheel more than one number at a time when driven by the actuating mechanism. y The shaft 25 is mounted in elongated openings 26V (Fig` 6) in the sides of casing 10, so that it can move from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to that shown in Fig. 5 for the purpose of disengaging the pinion 22a and pinions 23 from the number wheel gears 22 during the resetting of the device. A resetting yoke 27 (Fig. 5) with arms 28, 28 at either end and resetting fingers 29 projecting from the yoke at points intermediate the arms is pivotally carred by a shaft 30 mounted in the sides of casing 10 and biased to the counting position of Fig. 3 (with arms 2S abutting top 11 of casing 10) by coiled springs 31, 31 on such shaft acting between ,the arms 28 and the housing.Y Disengaging cam surfaces 32,32 and oppositelyrfacing locking cam surfaces 33, 34 are formed on the arms 28, 28 to engage the shaft 25. The cam surfaces 32, 32 move the shaft from the position shown f in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 tothe position shown in Fig. 5 as to reset position by merely depressing such button. When v i the yoke is swung down., The lower portions of cam surfaces 32, 32 and 33, 33 engage the shaft 25 and hold it in theposition shown in Figs-2, 3 and 4 when the yoke is in raisedpositionwith arms 28 held against top 11 by the force of springs 31, 31. Such holding maintains engagement between the pinions and number wheel gears without application of spring tension and consequent frictional losses. Reset button 35 integral with one arm extends outwardly of the housing for manual actuation ofthe yoke to resetting position by merely depressing the button. Remote resetting is provided by a solenoid reset actuator 37 mounted in casing 10 and connected to one arm 28 by link 36.

To reset the counter, the yoke 27 is rst swung from the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 to that shown in Fig. 5 and disengaging cam surfaces 32, 32 move the shaft 25 outwardly in openings 26 to disengage all pinions from the number wheel gears. As this takes place fingers 29 engage heart-shaped resetting cams 38 on each number wheel and rotate them to the zero position. During disengagement the transfer pinions 23 are placed in and maintained in proper position for re-engagement with number wheel gears 22 by locating leaf springs 39 which rest in the fractured tooth portions 40 of such pinions. Such leaf springs also serve to move the shaft 25 into initial contact with locking cam surfaces 33, 33. After the number wheels are at zero position the yoke 27 is allowed to swing up under the force of springs 31 to counting position of Figs. 2, 3 and 4 with arms 2S abutting top 11. The locking cam surfaces 33, 33 carry transfer pinion shaft 25 into driving position Where it is held by the opposing action of the lower portions of both cam surfaces 32, 32 and 33, 33 to rigidly limit the movement of pinion shaft 25 preventing unduevibration thereof and consequent intermittent disengagement of the transfer pinions and wheel gears thereby insuring accurate counting at all speeds. Such engagement is maintained without the application of a resilient force pressing the pinions into tight engagement with the nurnber wheel gears. Consequently, frictional wear between transfer pinions 23 and number wheel gears 22 is min imized. Since the only spring energy to be overcome in moving the pinion shaft out of driving position is that of the yoke return springs 31, very little force is required to swing the resetting yoke V27 down to the 'reset position manually by push button 35 or electrically by reset solenoid 37.

. Iclaim:

f1. A counter comprising, a number wheel shaft, a series of coaxial rotary number wheels on said shaft, means for actuating one of said number wheels, transfer means for transferring rotary motion from wheel to J resetting said number wheels to a position of zero read-Y ing, means for rendering said transfer means inoperative during the resetting operation, and lockingmeans for positively locking said transfer means in position during 4 Y l the counting operation, said locking means including a pivotally mounted yoke swingable from counting to resetting positions, said yoke having a first cam for engaging said transfer pinion shaft to slide it to resetting position and a second cam for engaging said transfer pinion shaft to slide it to counting position, said cams coacting with each other when said yoke is in counting position to positively lock said transfer pinion shaft in counting position to thereby restrain sliding movement of the shaft either towards or away from said number wheels.

2. A counter according to claim l in which there are resilient means to properly align said transfer pinions while in said resetting position, said resilient means cooperating with said second cam to move said transfer pinion shaft toward counting position.

3. A counter comprising, a number wheel shaft having number wheels mounted thereon, means for actuating one of said number wheels, transfer means for transferring rotary motion from wheel to wheel, said transfer means including a transfer pinion shaft having transfer pinions mounted thereon, means for resetting said number wheels to a position of zero reading, a pivotally mounted yoke member, a stop member, spring means urging said yoke member towards said stop member, a first cam means on said yoke adapted to engage said transfer pinion shaft and move it to a resetting position when said yoke is pivoted away from said stop member against the bias of said spring means, and a second cam means on said yoke adapted to engage said transfer pinion shaft and move it to a counting position when said yoke is pivoted towards said stop member by said spring means, said stop member positioned so that when said yoke is held in counting position against said stop member by said spring means the main force of said spring means will be absorbed by said stop member instead of by said transfer pinion shaft to thereby prevent said secondV cam means from continuously urging the transfer pinions on the transfer pinion shaft into engagement with the number wheels on the number wheel shaft when the transfer pinion shaft is in counting position.

4. A counter according to claim 3 in which said yoke has a notch therein in which said transfer pinion shaft seats when in counting position, said first and second cani means formed by the oppositely facing edges of the notch in said yoke.

` References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 545,034 Balzer Aug. 20, 1895 1,321,648 Landsiedel Nov. 11,l 1919 1,356,607 Dixon Oct. 26, 1920 1,409,547, Hosch Mar. 14, 1922 2,219,636 Schwartz Oct. 29, 1940 2,769,596 Loosli Nov. 6, 1956 

